


Egoistic

by wontonwriter



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Celebrity, Angst, Arranged Marriage, Baekhyun is a Baker, Chance Meetings, Chanyeol is a Bodyguard, Fluff, Happy Ending, I'm really bad at tags I'm sorry, Implied Sexual Content, Junmyeon is a Celebrity, Kyungsoo is a Baker, M/M, Minseok is a Baker, Pining, Post-High School, Romance, Yifan has a shitty dad, Yifan is in Business, there's kaisoo if you squint, very very minor chanho it isn't even an actual ship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-04
Updated: 2018-11-08
Packaged: 2019-07-06 21:52:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,736
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15894840
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wontonwriter/pseuds/wontonwriter
Summary: Junmyeon’s self-esteem crumbled when his high school crush Yifan revealed to have only gone on a date with him because of a bet. Five years later and Junmyeon has changed. Change is a natural occurrence but bumping into your ex-crush for the first time in forever and seeing his lifeless eyes is something Junmyeon can only describe as fate; not that he’d admit that out loud.





	1. ★| prologue

**Author's Note:**

> I got this idea after nowhere and I decided to write down ideas for the plot and here I am, posting this. 
> 
> Please be wary, there will be very depressing moments in this story that'll make you hate some characters! Also yeah excuse my flop writing I know I suck hahagah
> 
> But feedback and a kudos is always appreciated! ♡

**★**  | “I’m a satellite revolving around you, trapped in your little game.” ‣  **Egotistic** by Mamamoo

 -

High school years can either be one’s best or worst years; for Junmyeon, it goes both ways. His braces, pimpled face, giant spectacles and  _slightly_  chubby physique makes him a target of quiet whispers and laughs when he walks down the hallways. But besides that, his small friend group consisting of his two best friends Yixing and Jongdae make up for all of it. The whispers and laughs he receives aren’t even  _that_ bad to Junmyeon, they don’t affect him at all.

 

“Myeonie~” Jongdae coos as he hugs the smaller male, “Why are you crying again?” He asks, looking down at the boy who was sobbing into his chest, staining his shirt. Jongdae shakes the latter, who looks up at him, eyes bloodshot and hair a mess.

 

“I look ugly!” He screams, “I know I do but… But they don’t have to always whisper bad things about me when I walk pass them!” He cries, burying his face back into Jongdae’s chest. Jongdae rolls his eyes, patting the small boy’s back.

“Junmyeon, you are—”

 

His words of reassurance are interrupted by loud cries. If Jongdae had to count how many times his best friend would come to his house like this, he’d need twenty-two loose leaves.  _Yes, he’s actually counted. Don’t judge him._

Junmyeon gulps as he eyes the seemingly endless hallway, cliques scattered throughout the narrow walkway. He’s a  _little_  (okay a lot) on the shorter side, so if he creates a path using the distances between his fellow schoolmates and calculates the directions he must take then he might—

 

“Oh my god! I’m so sorry.” A shrill voice knocks him out of his daze. Looking up, he sees a pretty face;  _Jessica Jung_. The school’s most popular student. He reaches out to the outstretched hand, who helps him get up from the floor. He was about to mutter a thank you but was stopped by the rather large crowd of onlookers.

 

“Are you okay? I didn’t mean to do that oh my gosh I’m so clumsy…” She says, bowing deeply. Junmyeon would’ve said thank you, he swears. But the large crowd made him frozen in fear. He broke out into a sweat, darting his eyes left and right.

 

“Um… Are you just gonna stand there?” Jessica’s voice now changes, sounding the slightest bit annoyed. Junmyeon snaps out of his fear-induced daze and instantly makes way for Jessica and her huge crowd, who all glance at him before walking off. It’s only the start of the day, but he’s already embarrassed himself.

“Jesus Myeonie… All that in the first ten minutes?” Yixing gasps, dropping his pencil. Junmyeon had just told him what happened, after he finished having his daily breakdown. Junmyeon glares at him, “You’re not helping.” He mutters, before his forehead onto his desk. Yixing sighs, “Look Junmyeon I’m sorry. But tell you what, all of this will go away once we graduate.” He rubs circles on Junmyeon’s back, feeling sorry for his insecure friend.

 

Jongdae takes a seat beside Junmyeon, raising an eyebrow. “Let me guess…” He takes a deep breath,

 

“Daily breakdown!” Yixing and him say in unison. Junmyeon just groans and mutter curse words at the two of them.

 

“I dare you to go on a date with him Yifan.” His friend grins, wiggling his eyebrows up and down. Yifan shudders at the thought, scowling at this friend. But a dare is a dare, and Yifan never turns down $50.

 

“Deal.” He sighs, raising his hands up in defeat. His friends all gasp at him, eyes wide and mouths agape.

 

“Wow, I can’t believe you actually agreed.” Tao slaps him on the back, laughing at his friend. “Shut up Tao, I’m only doing this for the fifty. A man like me never turns down big bucks.” He scowls, pushing Tao away. Tao’s laughs only get louder, aggravating Yifan more.

 

From what Yifan can decipher after watching Junmyeon for a week is that:

 

_One, Junmyeon is at least a head and a half shorter than him._

_Two, Junmyeon is as ugly as they say,_

_And Three, he can’t bare the fact of having to go on a date with him._

Yifan sighs, palming his face with his large hands. He can’t turn the bet down now, he’ll be the laughing stock of his friends for at least two weeks. Slamming his locker shut, he looks over at his target, scrunching his face up in disgust at the pimples plastered all over the boy’s face. He takes a deep breath; ‘ _inhale, exhale. It’s now or never Yifan!’,_  he says to himself.

 

Taking long strides, he leans his shoulder onto the locker next to his, crossing his arms coolly. After a few moments, the latter closes his locker, not noticing the towering figure next to him.

 

“Hey.” Yifan says, making Junmyeon jump. Junmyeon looks up, surprised to see his crush looking down at him with a small smile. The two stand there in silence before Yifan coughs awkwardly.

 

“Cat got your tongue?” He jokes, raising an eyebrow. “U-um…” Junmyeon re-arranges himself, standing up straight. “No? Can I help you…” He asks quietly, frantically adjusting the straps of his backpack.

 

“So, you can talk.” Yifan says in amazement. Junmyeon is trying to avoid Yifan’s piercing gaze, darting his eyes in all directions except his.  _What is happening. Yifan isn’t standing right in front of me. This must be a dream. Wow, he looks even hotter close-up—_

“I’m just gonna cut right to the chase here Junmyeon,” Yifan’s deep voice snaps Junmyeon out of his thoughts, “You, me, go out this Friday night.” He says. Junmyeon gasps, “M-m-me? And y-you?” He stutters.  _Did. He. Just. Ask. Me. Out?OMGOMGMOMGOGMOGMOGM—_

“Yes.” Yifan deadpans, “So, what’d you say? We’ll go to the park, eat ice cream or something.” He adds, getting impatient. Junmyeon didn’t know what to do, his mind kept telling him to say no, to make up an excuse, because he’ll embarrass himself in front of—

“Yes.” Junmyeon says. Yifan smiles and ruffles his hair, “Good. I’ll see you then.” He walks off, and Junmyeon just stares at his retreating back.

 

_What did I just get myself into?_

“Ugh what am I gonna do guys? He asked me out. I didn’t know what to say except  _yes_! Was it a mistake? I should’ve said no, right? Oh my gosh, oh my gosh!” Junmyeon panics, running around his room. Jongdae catches him and holds him still, “Relax, Myeonie. Shouldn’t you be excited? Your crush just asked you out.” He asks.

 

“I don’t know what to feel, I want to feel excited but at the same time I want to hide in my bed and never come out of my room. Ugh I’m so confused!” Junmyeon buries face in his hand, the thought of going on a date with Yifan being too much for him to handle.

 

“I think you should be excited, I mean come on Junmyeon! You’ve been pining after him for quite a while now. This is your chance! To show him how much of a good boyfriend you can be!” Jongdae reassures, pulling Junmyeon into a hug.

 

“But that’s the thing Dae… He’s been my crush for the longest time! What if I mess up? What if he thinks I’m weird?” Junmyeon says dejectedly, pouting. “I don’t think you should do it.” Yixing says, shocking the two of them.

 

“Xing? Shouldn’t you be happy for Junmyeon? Why are you telling him to—”

 

“Because he’s probably just tricking you. You know about guys like Yifan- they lure you in and next thing you know, they leave you behind in the dust!” Yixing shouts. Junmyeon looks over at Yixing, “What do you mean?” He says, crossing his arms.

 

Yixing groans and walks over to him, “I don’t want to sound rude Junmyeon but look at you. Are you someone that Yifan would want to date? A handsome, tall, jock of all people would come up to you and—”

 

“Yixing that’s enough!” Jongdae shouts, pushing Yixing. Junmyeon runs out of the room, leaving the two behind. “Yixing! What was that for?” Jongdae questions, “That was super cruel! You shouldn’t have said that.” He adds harshly, shoving past Yixing to go after Junmyeon.

 

_Yixing can only look down at the hard wooden in floor in regret._

Tao mocking him was the last thing Yifan wanted at that very moment.

 

“You’re actually gonna do it man!” Tao laughs, wiping his tears. Kris punches him on the arm, “Shut up Tao, I’m not in the mood.” He scowls, tapping his feet on the concrete impatiently. He checks his phone;  _he was supposed to be here five minutes ago_.

 

Tao walks off with the rest of his friends who wanted to witness everything, ‘ _good lucks_ ’ and ‘ _I hope you don’t walk out of this traumatized_ ’ being sent his way. Yifan rolls his eyes, growing more impatient. After ten minutes, Yifan was about to turn around and walk to his friends, who were hiding behind a bush.

 

“Yifan?” He looks down to see Junmyeon, clad in an oversized sweater, wearing a pair of denim jeans.

 

“Took you long enough.” He deadpans, crossing his arms. Junmyeon gasps, “I’m sorry! An emergency came up and I had to—”

 

“Ok, ok, I forgive you. Now should we get going?” Yifan cuts him off, walking off. Junmyeon has to process the situation for about five seconds before he scrambles to catch up with Yifan.

 

Surprisingly, Yifan wasn’t frowning in dismay. Instead, he was laughing at Junmyeon, who was telling him some lame pun.

 

_Don't interrupt someone working intently on a puzzle. Chances are, you'll hear some crosswords._

Yifan didn’t know why he just started cracking up, laughing loudly. It wasn’t even that funny.

 

In the end, Yifan walked Junmyeon back to the park entrance at sunset. He offered to walk him back to his house, but Junmyeon rejected.

 

“I-I had fun today…” Junmyeon stuttered, fidgeting nervously, “Thank you…” He added meekly. Yifan smiled down at the squirming boy, “It was no problem really, I had fun too.” Yifan says back, not even knowing what was coming out of his mouth.

 

Yifan didn’t know what came over him, but moments later he found himself locking lips with Junmyeon. It was a chaste kiss, nothing too crazy. A few seconds later and Yifan pulls away, smiling at the frozen boy in front of him. He ruffles his hair, “Alright, have a good night Junmyeon.” Yifan walks away, leaving Junmyeon there entranced.

 

Junmyeon traces his fingers over his bottom lip, smiling.

 

“Dude! Did you have to kiss him?” His friend hands him a fifty-dollar bill. “Wasn’t that part of the deal?” Yifan asks, stuffing the bill into his wallet. His friend shudders, “No, but that’s the Yifan we all know; always going overboard.”

 

“How was it? Did he gross you out to much?” Jessica pouts at him, crossing his arms. Yifan smiles down at her, “It was terrible, I almost barfed.” He says. He feels awful saying this, he feels like he’s lying.

 

“I shudder at the thought of having to walk in a close distance with that freak, yuck.” Jessica shakes her head in disapproval. Yifan puts his arm around her shoulders, “Aww? Is someone jealous?” He coos, making Jessica blush a bright red.

 

“N-no I’m not! God you should’ve just rejected the deal in the first place.” Jessica pushes him away.

 

“You know me, I never turn down bets! I’m not a pussy.” He says proudly.  _What are you doing? This doesn’t feel right._  Yifan wills his thoughts away.

 

Yifan’s group walks away, leaving a heartbroken Junmyeon there, tears streaming down his face. He can almost physically feel what self-esteem he had crumble away, taking his heart with it. 


	2. ★| stressed out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm feeling really inspired and motivated omf someone slap me I'm supposed to be doing my essay habahsah
> 
> Enjoy!! ♡
> 
> (The heights have also been altered, please imagine Jongdae and Yixing a head taller than Junmyeon please I have a strange (kink?) for height differences I'm sorry)

**★** | “I’m gonna live like a flower, I’ll be by myself. _”_ ‣ **Gashina** by Sunmi

-

_“Yifan come on!” Jessica pulls him by the arm. “Okay, okay, I’m coming.” He grunts, eyes not leaving the shaking boy. Junmyeon was crying, and he knows it was because of him. Yifan doesn’t know why he feels so bad; he’s left girls and boys heartbroken before, so why does he feel like this?_

-

**Five Years Later...**

_The loud screams still made Junmyeon feel anxious, even after two years of becoming famous._ Smiling at his fans, he waved at the photographers and scurried into his companies building.

 

“Are you okay Junmyeon?” His bodyguard Chanyeol asked as the latter slumped down on a chair. “I’m fine Chanyeol, just tired from my overbearing schedule.” He sighs, closing his eyes. This is the first time he’s managed to truly relax in what seemed like forever, and he isn’t gonna take any second for granted.

 

“Well I’m sorry to say, but you’ve got another shoot in thirty minutes.” Chanyeol says, earning a loud groan from Junmyeon, who buries his face into a pillow. “But I don’t want to! I’ve had enough work this week already.” Junmyeon complains, kicking his feet up in the air angrily.

 

“You know for someone older than me, you sure act more immature.” Chanyeol says, crossing his arms. “I don’t need you to tell me that, I’m already cranky as is and if you aggravate me, I’ll blow up.” Junmyeon looks up to scowl at Chanyeol, who only rolls his eyes.

 

“Look,” He sighs, and Junmyeon knows he’s about to go into one of his dumb talks. “You wanted to be a star, right? Well you got your wish, but you shouldn’t have expected having it easy. You may have the money and fame now, but you still need to work for it. You can’t expect things to be handed to you on a diamond platter Junmyeon, you need to earn it.”

 

“Well I could also buy it.” Junmyeon scoffs, crossing his arms. Chanyeol groans and puts his large hands on Junmyeon’s shoulders, “If I buy you pastries, will you go to your shoot on time?” He asks, completely giving up on trying to lecture the small man. Junmyeon’s face immediately brightens up, and he throws his arms up in celebration.

 

“I’m guessing that’s a yes.” Chanyeol smiles lightly, “Come let’s go—”

 

“Wait!” Junmyeon cuts him off, “I’m not going unless I get a piggyback.” He pouts. Chanyeol rolls his eyes but does what he’s told, turning his back to Junmyeon who jumps on with glee.

 

_Chanyeol wonders what he’s done to deserve this cruel fate, babysitting a man that was a year older than him._

“I swear, I don’t like him!” Kyungsoo scoffs, turning his head away from his two friends. “Well _soo_ ner or later _Soo_ , you’re gonna end up falling for him. I would too, but I’m taken.” Minseok jokes. It takes a while for Baekhyun to process it though, but when he does he erupts into laughter.

 

“Okay Baek, it really wasn’t _that_ funny.” Minseok says, going back to rolling dough. Baekhyun wipes his tears away, laugh subsiding. “I’m sorry, you know how I feel about puns!” He smiles. He jumps at the loud cough behind him, turning around to find a rather handsome man.   

 

“Is there anyone at the counter or—”

 

“Oh yes, yes! I’m very sorry!” He apologizes, scrambling to the cash register. “Hello! My name is Baekhyun and welcome to The Holy Trinity! Where we serve your _soou_ p so quick, you’ll be _baek_ in a _min_ ute!” He greets, looking up the tall man with a smile. Chanyeol just raises his eyebrow, “Soup? I thought this was a bakery?” He asks, pointing at the various pastries lined up for display.

“Oh yes indeed!” Baekhyun quickly reassures, “But I wanted to make a cute little greeting with the owners’ names! I-I really need to work on it, I’m sorry…” Baekhyun laughs awkwardly, sheepishly scratching the back of his neck. Chanyeol looks over at the short man’s name tag; _Baekhyun_. _Baek_. _Heh, that’s kinda funny._

“So anyways,” Baekhyun claps his hands together, “What would you like? As you can see, we have an assortment of sweet treats!” He asks. “Well I don’t want anything… What would you like Junmyeon?” Chanyeol mutters, scrunching his face up in dismay at the pastries.

 

Baekhyun is confused; _there isn’t another person in here… Is he talking to his imaginary friend? Oh my gosh, that’s so cute—_

“Hmm…” A young man peeks over the handsome man’s shoulder, staring at the menu. He points to the _Double Chocolate Pie_ , licking his lips. “Oooh! That one looks so good! I want that one.” He squeals, jumping up and down. The handsome man rolls his eyes, but Baekhyun doesn’t miss the way he smiles. Taking out his wallet, he gives Baekhyun a $5 bill. Baekhyun takes the bill, waving them off sadly.

 

In two minutes, a brown paper bag is being handed to a giddy Junmyeon. “Thank you!” He says excitedly. “ _So, he really wasn’t lying about being fast. Nice service._ ” Chanyeol thinks as he walks out of the bakery, the smell of sweets lingering even after getting into the van.

 

“Why are all of the hot guys taken?” Baekhyun sighs dejectedly, frowning. Minseok pats him on the back, “You’ll get a boyfriend soon Baekhyun, don’t worry.” He reassures, rubbing circles onto Baekhyun’s back.

 

Baekhyun groans, “That isn’t the only thing; his boyfriend was so _pretty_ , it made my self esteem crumble into flour.”  Kyungsoo’s muffled laughs can be heard from the counter, which agitated Baekhyun even more. _God, that Satansoo bitch._

-

Yifan scrambles around the room, his overbearing work schedule taking a toll on him. Even with his long legs, he couldn’t seem to make it to meetings on time, often earning him glares from the business men. Above it all, his best friend Tao couldn’t seem to stop mocking him.

 

“Dude! You’re gonna get killed by your dad!” Tao laughs, “This is the fourth meeting you’ve been late too and it’s only Wednesday!” He clutches his stomach, catching his breath. Kris punches him on the arm, “Shut the fuck up. I’m trying my best here!” He scowls, fixing his hair quickly and adjusting his tie.

 

“You’re ‘best’ isn’t enough then.” The familiar voice sends a shockwave down Yifan’s spine; _oh shit_.

 

“M-Mr. Wu!” Tao stands up straight, bowing deeply at the intimidating man. The latter merely nods to acknowledge his presence, turning to his son with a scowl.

 

“What is this son? Haven’t I taught you time management and signed you up for all the sports that you wanted to do?” He asks, crossing his arms. “This isn’t what I expected from you, the future CEO of Wu Enterprises.” He sighs, massaging his forehead.

 

“I… I’m sorry, father.” Yifan mumbles, looking down to the floor. “Just try to be more focused, I didn’t choose you to be future CEO for nothing Yifan.” The latter states coldly, exiting the room soon after.

Yifan slumps down on his chair, palming his face with his large hands. “I’m so fucking screwed. He’s gonna take at least half of my monthly allowance!” He groans. Tao snickers, “Maybe even more than that.” He looks up to scowl at his best friend, before he sees the clock behind him that reads 3:44; _he was four minutes late to a meeting on the other side of the building_.

 

_Yifan looked like a chicken without a head, sprinting down the halls, shoes clacking on the marble floor, with Tao in tow, who of course was laughing at him._

-

Junmyeon sighed as he was picking at his salad, getting a quick break before the next round of shooting commences. Luhan looked up from his phone, snatching the salad away.

 

“What—”

 

“When we’re done, we’re getting some actual food to celebrate! You have four days of well-deserved rest, which means I also get my pay check! It’s a win-win for both of us!” He raises his arms up in glee, spinning around in his chair. Junmyeon scoffs at him, “What kind of manager encourages their model to eat more?”

 

“That manager is me. Besides, you’re skinny and petite as is, let’s get a little bit of meat on your bones!” Luhan says, slapping Junmyeon’s thigh. “Hey! You can’t say much, look at you!” Junmyeon fights back, trying and failing to put Luhan in a headlock. Luhan dodges and laughs at him, “While we’re at it, we should try sending you to the gym.”

 

“Xing! Dae!” Junmyeon runs up to his two best friends. The two engulf him into a group hug, and Junmyeon breathes in the familiar scents of both. “Looking gorgeous as always.” Yixing smiles down at him. Junmyeon blushes, diverting his attention to the boiling pot on the stove.

 

“Oops! Let me get that!” He scrambles to the stove, fumbling with the knobs. He’s still not used to people giving him compliments; _heck, he’s never gotten used to being so good-looking._

 

“Clumsy as always.” Jongdae rolls his eyes, seating himself on of the bar stools. “How have you been? It’s been awhile since we’ve all met up.” He asks, leaning on the island. “I’ve been busy as hell, I haven’t got any free time for like the past two months!” He complains, fanning himself.

 

“Have you eaten? Your legs look so skinny!” Yixing chimes in, taking a seat next to Jongdae. Junmyeon looks down, “Really? I don’t see a difference, they’ve always been like this.” Junmyeon replies, rolling up his sleeves to start doing the dishes.

 

“Well tell you what; you, me and Jongdae go out this Friday to the beach and just chillax. Take in the summer heat and enjoy the remainder of summer.” Yixing suggests, wiggling his eyebrows. Junmyeon nods eagerly, “I’ve been wanting to do that actually… No water though! I don’t like swimming.”

 

“Whatever you say, Myeonie.” Yixing says, rolling his eyes. “Can I bring my boyfriend along? He’d probably want to come as well.” Jongdae adds, sipping on a coke.

 

“Since when did you have a boyfriend?” Junmyeon asks. Jongdae laughs, “Oh that’s right, you were too busy that I couldn’t tell you. We met a month ago, he’s super cute! Looks like a marshmallow.” He says dreamily.

 

“Really? You’re already whipped?” Junmyeon laughs, “I can’t help it Jun! He’s perfect.” Jongdae says in defence, earning eye rolls from his two best friends.

 

After a night filled with laughs, drinks and tons of food, Jongdae bids them goodbye. Yixing stays back to help Junmyeon clean up. “This was really fun! Who knew that a simple gathering between the three of us would make me feel so much better?” Junmyeon says cheerfully, putting dishes in the dishwasher.

 

“Y-yeah.” Yixing coughs awkwardly, trying to will away the _slight_ problem in his pants. He couldn’t help but ogle at Junmyeon, who was wearing a sweater three sizes up, exposing his soft, pale legs. He looked so adorable and sexy at the same time and—

_Yixing you’re having lewd thoughts. Stop it._

“Xing?” Junmyeon waves a hand in front of Yixing’s face, snapping him out of his trance. “Are you okay? You looked kinda sick there.” He asks worriedly, grazing his dainty fingers over Yixing’s neck to check his temperature.

 

_Junmyeon just doesn’t know how much this affects Yixing, whose blush is getting redder and redder._

“Your cheeks are red, have you drunk too much?” Junmyeon puts his hands on his hip, shaking his head, “ _Tsk-tsk_ , it’s a work day tomorrow!”

 

“I-it’s getting kind of late,” Yixing says quickly, checking the time on his non-existent watch, “I should get g-going, bye now!” He says, rushing over to the door. Junmyeon is taken aback as he chases after Yixing; by the time he gets to his front door, all he can see is an empty hallway.

 

Yixing stops running, puffed out. He slaps himself in the cheek, feeling disappointed with himself. _What if he’s sad now that I’ve left him?_

_It was too late. He was already outside the building, and he couldn’t think of an excuse._

“ZHANG YIXING YOU DUMBASS!” He shouts, grabbing his hair in frustration.

-

Yifan wakes up from a dream he hasn’t had in a while;

 

_Junmyeon is standing there, back facing Yifan. Yifan goes to grab his narrow shoulder, but Junmyeon runs. Yifan chases after him easily, grabbing him and making him turn around. Junmyeon looks ethereal; like all the ugly was blown away from him. He’s wearing the same clothes he wore on their ‘date’. He looked so ethereal; but he way crying. Yifan goes to wipe the tears coming out of his eyes, but Junmyeon slaps his hand away._

_“Don’t touch me!” He runs off, jumping into another man’s arms. Yifan watches in shock as the two share a kiss, the man wrapping his arms around Junmyeon’s small waist possessively._

He hadn’t had that dream in almost a year. The guilt comes raining down on him again, the pain of having to watch Junmyeon kiss another guy sends an ache to his heart; _Yifan, stop this. You’ve hurt him, left him and didn’t even try to apologise._ He repeats the phrase like a mantra in his head, massaging his forehead to try and send himself back to sleep.

 

Yifan stays like that for the rest of the night, not caring about the upcoming meetings and grueling work ahead of him.


	3. ★| daze

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I haven't updated this! I've been writing down other prompts and have been busy with school.
> 
> I know you're asking me 'but why are you writing down prompts when you're currently writing this story?'
> 
> To that I say I don't know, when I'm inspired I'm inspired loll but don't worry, I haven't forgotten about this story! Enjoy <3

**★** | “I was selfish, I ignored your tears.” ‣ **Killing Me** by iKon

-

_“Junmyeon?” Yixing calls out softly, sitting down at the edge of his bed. Junmyeon’s small figure shuffles under the sheets, signifying that he has awoken. Junmyeon peeks his head out of the blanket, revealing dishevelled hair and bloodshot eyes. Yixing quickly pulls him into a hug, and Junmyeon soon finds himself breaking down for the third time._

_If Yixing didn’t hate Yifan before, he sure does now._

-

For once, Junmyeon didn’t wake up immediately stressed; he actually got time to stretch and have breakfast. He smiles to himself, the smell of toast permeating his kitchen.

 

 _Knock, knock, knock!_ Junmyeon groans at the loud banging on his front door. He huffs as he walks over to open it. He was surprised to see Yixing, who looked exhausted, chest heaving up and down as he gasps for air.

 

“Yixing? What are you doing here? Don’t you have work?” Junmyeon fires questions at him, confused at his sudden appearance. Once Yixing catches his breath, he stands up straight and smiles at him, “I came here to apologize, I didn’t mean to leave on such sort notice yesterday.” He rubs the back of his neck sheepishly.

 

“Oh, it’s fine! I’m not mad.” Junmyeon reassures, inviting Yixing in. “Are you sure?” He asks, pouting like a puppy. Junmyeon laughs, “Yes, I’m sure. Besides, I’m in a good mood! I actually _slept_ , Yixing!” He says excitedly, “I haven’t slept in like—four years? I don’t know, maybe more.” He adds.

 

“Whatever you say, Myeonie.” Yixing rolls his eyes, taking a seat on the coach. “Do you want to do anything today?” He asks. Junmyeon crosses his arms, “Don’t you have work today?”

 

“Work is for the weak!” Yixing laughs, “Besides, one _fake_ sick day won’t hurt.” He adds, wiggling his eyebrows. Junmyeon gasps, “So you called in sick just to hang out with me? Yixing!” He shrieks, slapping Yixing on the chest.

 

“Calm down Myeonie! I’ve been needing a break from work anyway.” Yixing dodges Junmyeon, standing up and taking the latter with him. He locks hands with him before running out into the hallway, the door slamming shut on their way out. Junmyeon yells at him to stop, but Yixing just keeps running.

 

_Junmyeon looks down at their interlocked hands, fighting the blush that’s starting to bloom on his cheeks._

Yixing soon drags Junmyeon into a bakery. After catching his breath, Junmyeon looks around at the familiar décor. _The Holy Trinity!_

“Hey, I know this place!” He says. Yixing looks down at him, “You’ve been here before?” He asks, getting into line.

 

“Yeah! With my bodyguard, he bought me a pie.” Junmyeon explains, his mouth drooling at the sight of the beautiful pastries on display.

 

“I go here all the time, why don’t I ever see you around?” Yixing raises an eyebrow. Junmyeon scoffs at him, “I’ve only been here once Xing, you were probably at work.” He deadpans, “Now stop asking me questions and buy me a pie!” He adds, pouting up at him. 

 

“Yifan! Hurry up, your flat ass is gonna be late again!” Tao shouts from outside Kris’s apartment. He looks down at his watch frantically, seeing the precious minutes he could’ve had going to his favourite bakery pass by quickly. He pounds on the front door, his patience wearing thin.

 

“Yifan—”

 

Before he could shout some profanities, Yifan opens the door. Tao looks up and down at him in shock, seeing his dishevelled hair and bloodshot eyes; he wasn’t even in his suit.

 

“Dude… Are you okay?” He asks. Kris just nods, leaning against the door frame. “Tell my dad I’m sick, I can’t be fucked going to work today.” He deadpans, rubbing his nose.

 

“Have you been crying?” Tao questions. Kris scoffs, “What are you on? A manly man like me never cries, I haven’t cried since I was in third grade and scraped my knee!”

 

Kris is a bad liar. Tao can see right through him; he knows when his best friend is sad. 

 

“You’ve been crying.” Tao sighs, “You can’t go to work like this, looking like you’ve just experienced a pretty bad hangover. Come, I’ll take you to my favourite bakery.” 

 

Before Kris can respond, Tao’s already walking off. Kris sighs because he can’t bring himself to decline; _he really wanted a chocolate pie right now._ Plus, he doesn’t want to see his dad.

 

“Baekhyun! Get back to work!” Minseok scolds, slapping Baekhyun on the arm. Baekhyun turns his head to him, “I know, I know I’m sorry! It’s just that…” Baekhyun huffs, “That guy looks so familiar! And why is he here with another man? Is he cheating on his boyfriend?” He questions to himself, narrowing his eyes at the latter who was digging into his pie.

 

“No ones cheating on anybody Baek, you’re just jealous.” Minseok rolls his eyes, going back to wiping the tables. Baekhyun gasps, “I’m not jealous!” He defends himself, hiding the blush forming on his cheeks.

 

“How’s modelling going?” Yixing asks, taking another cream puff out of the bag. “Modelling is modelling… The fans are so supportive- well, a _little_ too supportive but—”

 

“What do you mean a little too supportive? Did one of them do something creepy?” Yixing cuts him off, dropping his cream puff onto the floor.

 

“What—no! It’s just that… You know I don’t do well in big crowds.” Junmyeon says sheepishly. Yixing sighs in relief, leaning back on his chair.

 

“That’s good, I was ready to beat someone up!” He raises a fist in the air, making Junmyeon laugh. Yixing smiles to himself, knowing that he was the one that made the beautiful male in front of him happy.

 

After catching his breath, Junmyeon slumps down onto the table, puffed out from all the laughter. “You know you don’t have to protect me anymore, I’m not the 18-year-old Junmyeon that needed protecting.” He sighs. Yixing shakes his head, “Even so, I still promised to protect you with all my might! I am your knight in shining armour!”

 

Junmyeon giggles at the man in front of him, the latter pretending like he has a sword in his hand. Junmyeon feels glad that he has a person like Yixing in his life. Yixing always pulled him back up when he himself was down; _quite literally sometimes_. Yixing had always managed to make him feel better on his gloomiest days, he was the shelter that Junmyeon needed from the world.

 

_Yixing will always be Junmyeon’s best, best friend._

“Hurry up dude!” Tao shouts from behind him, waving his friend over to a chic looking bakery. Yifan huffs, “I didn’t know we had to walk like fifteen minutes, I wasn’t planning on working out today.”

 

“You’ve been playing basketball for all your life, I think you can deal with it.” Tao deadpans, walking into the bakery. Yifan treks behind him, looking up at the sign with distaste.

“ _The Holy Trinity?_ ” Yifan scoffs to himself, ” _What kind of wack name is that?_ ”

 

“Oh look! It’s Tao!” Baekhyun smiles up at the man, who smiles back at him. “Hey Baek, long time no see.” Tao greets, taking out his wallet.

 

“Yeah, it’s been ages since you’ve last come back!” Baekhyun says, already getting Tao’s signature order, “Who is that grumpy looking man behind you?” He asks, looking over Tao’s shoulder to see a freakishly tall man who looked dead inside.

 

“Oh, that’s Yifan. Yifan, Baekhyun. Baekhyun, Yifan.” Tao introduces them to one another. Yifan merely nods in acknowledgment, while Baekhyun puts on a small smile.

 

Baekhyun hands Tao a brown paper bag, “There you go! Have a fantastic day!” He smiles.

 

“Thanks, I will—”

 

“Hold up, where the fuck is mine?” Yifan grumbles, shoving Tao over before looking down at Baekhyun with a big scowl plastered on his face. Baekhyun feels intimidated but holds his ground.

 

“Well I’m sorry _sir_ , but you didn’t exactly order—”

 

“One chocolate pie,” Yifan interrupts, slamming a $10 on the counter, “Keep the change.” He smirks. Baekhyun grits his teeth, “I’m not serving you.” He sasses, crossing his arms and looking away.

 

“ _What_?!” Yifan exclaims.

 

“That’s right dickhead, _I’m_ not serving you.” Baekhyun deadpans, glaring up at Yifan. Yifan clenches his fist; _he made it a rule to not hurt anyone under two feet, but he might have to make an exception today._

“Listen here you bitch, I’m getting my—”

 

_A loud slap reverberates around the whole bakery._

“I’m sorry but I’m not serving anyone who calls me something like that. Tao, please collect this giant dork and _have a good day_.” Baekhyun says calmly.

 

Yifan is fuming; _he just wanted to get a chocolate pie, but some rude uptight midget comes around and doesn’t serve him?_

“You _are_ a _fucking_ midget!” Yifan exclaims, lunging at Baekhyun.

 

_And just like that, chaos ensues._

Tao is holding Yifan back, and Kyungsoo and Minseok are in front of Baekhyun, who was cursing some _intense_ profanities at Yifan.

 

“Wow, what the fuck! Let’s get out of here Junmyeon, I don’t want us to see this.” Yixing says. Junmyeon looks on with wide eyes, not focusing on anything but that oh-so familiar back.

 

Yixing shakes Junmyeon, trying to get his attention. He realizes that Junmyeon is staring directly at the enraged man’s back; _the person next to him looks familiar._

“Myeonie, what are you—”

 

“GET OFF ME!” Yifan’s deep voice booms, shoving Tao off him.

 

_Like all love stories, the two protagonists meet in the most unlikeliest of situations._

_Like all love stories, the two protagonists collide and stare at each other like there wasn’t anyone or anything else in the world._

_Junmyeon and Yifan. Yifan and Junmyeon._

It all happened too quickly. A second ago Yifan was just trying to catch his balance, but a second later the boy that has been haunting his memory for far too long appears right in front of him.

 

All the pimples gone. His face looks more defined. His eyes the same chocolate brown. He looks so beautiful.

Junmyeon, on the other hand, was hyperventilating. Seeing _his_ face made all the memories rush back to him; all the memories that caused sleepless nights and countless breakdowns. All the memories that crushed Junmyeon’s already low self-esteem.

 

_Low and behold, the man that caused him so much heartbreak was hovering on top of him, staring at him with the most intense look he’s ever seen._

 

“Get off me!” Junmyeon shrieks, trying to push him away. Yifan didn’t budge, keeping his arms locked strongly on both sides of Junmyeon’s head, effectively keeping the small male trapped below him.

It wasn’t until he sees the tears coming out of Junmyeon’s eyes is when he snapped out of his daze, letting Junmyeon free.

 

Yifan stares at him with wide eyes. _Why are you crying? Please don’t cry._

Yifan wanted to say it out loud, but all he could do was continue staring at Junmyeon, his dainty fingers were wiping his tears away. Yifan wanted to reach out and wipe Junmyeon’s tears for him, he wanted to hug Junmyeon, hold him tight and—

 

_Yifan stumbles onto the floor after receiving a harsh blow to the jaw._

“You bastard!” The attacker shouts. Yifan groans in pain, looking up to see a familiar man glaring down at him. Tao comes to his aid, helping him sit up.

 

“Dude are you okay? What the fuck man, what was that for?” Tao retorts.

 

“You just assaulted my _boyfriend_ asshole!” The man scoffs, helping Junmyeon to his feet.

 

_Wait. Boyfriend?_

“I better not see you again.” The man grits his teeth, pointing at Yifan before leaving, taking Junmyeon with him.

 

Yifan is left there, staring at the floor. He could hear Tao beside him asking him questions, but he can’t respond; _not when his worst nightmares have become true_.

 

“Wow… T-tough morning?” Baekhyun whispers, earning a scowl from Kyungsoo and a slap on the arm from Minseok.

 

“Junmyeon? Junmyeon, are you okay?” Yixing asks, searching for any injuries on Junmyeon. After checking there was none, he quickly engulfs Junmyeon into a hug.

 

“Are you okay? What did he do to you?” Yixing questions, resting his chin on top of Junmyeon’s head.

 

“It was Yifan.” Junmyeon’s words are almost inaudible, but Yixing hears it. Yixing looks down at Junmyeon, “Yifan? The one that—”

 

“Yes, it was him.” Junmyeon says, tears threatening to fall down his face again.

 

Before he knows it, Junmyeon is breaking down into tears. Yixing cradles him in his arms, rocking him side to side.

 

If Yixing didn’t despise Yifan before, he sure did now.


	4. ★| unfair

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To all my lovely readers, I'm very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very sorry for the long wait.
> 
> I really have no excuses other than laziness. I'm a flop, I'm sorry again. I'll try to release more before my school break ends, but I think updates are gonna be slower than I thought. 
> 
> Besides that, enjoy! ♡

**★** | “Steal my heart like the first time, before it’s too late. ‣ **I’m So Sick** by Apink

-

_“Jongdae, it’s killing me to see him like this.” Yixing mutters, gritting his teeth at the bastard who made Junmyeon fall into his insecurities._

_Wu Yifan; a name you’d hear all the time around school. Yixing doesn’t know why he’s so popular and well-liked, he’s nothing more than an asshole in his eyes._

_“I know Xing, but the best we can do right now is to be there for him; a thing like this won’t leave you for quite some time.” Jongdae sighs, picking at his food. Yixing’s frown only deepens._

-

Junmyeon tries to brighten up, but all his attempts at doing so end up with him sobbing into his pillow. It’s hard to forget what happened; he just met the person who simultaneously broke his heart _and_ stole his first kiss for the first time in five years.

 

It’s crazy, Junmyeon knows he should’ve gotten over it by now, like a normal person should. In truth, he hasn’t. His mind just doesn’t function like that; he’s overly-sensitive, and the ‘harmless’ prank caused him a lot of heartbreak and days curled up in bed, not wanting to exist.

 

Junmyeon rests his chin on his palm, ignoring the calls coming from Yixing. He only gazes at the night sky, the bright light from the moon illuminating his face.

 

Yifan gulps down the remaining contents of the beer bottle, feeling the familiar burning sensation run down his throat. Yifan would know better than to get drunk, but his emotions overwhelmed his logic.

 

“I’m guessing you’re skipping out on work tomorrow as well?” Tao deadpans, raising an eyebrow at his best friend. Yifan only nods his head lazily, staring up at the ceiling.

 

“You shouldn’t do this to yourself man, I know you’re trying to um- forget about that incident, but damaging your liver isn’t worth it.” Tao says, slumping down on the coach next to Yifan. The latter only scoffs, “I couldn’t care less about damaging my liver right now.”

 

“Well I’d like to hear you say that when you end up in a hospital bed.”

 

“Fuck you man!” Yifan shouts, “I thought you were here to comfort me, not educate me you… You bastard!” He yawns, slumping down on the coach. Tao sighs, laying a pillow underneath Yifan’s head and throwing a blanket over him.

 

“Ungrateful bastard.” He mutters, cleaning up the mess of bottles on the floor.

 

If you told Tao that the person on the magazine cover was that same ugly midget that his best friend kissed five years ago, he would’ve laughed in front of your face. But life works in strange ways, Tao thinks to himself as he sees a familiar name plastered on the magazine.

 

Under the dim light, Tao could see how much the latter has changed. He’s lost weight. His body was petite and curvy, and his face grew sharper. In Tao’s standards, he’d consider Junmyeon as _sexy_. He totally understands why Yifan drunk himself out of his state of sadness, missing out on a hot piece of ass like Junmyeon’s.

 

“Baekhyun, I can’t believe you picked a fight with a customer! Did you hear me? A _customer!_ ” Minseok scolds Baekhyun, getting all the pastries on display ready.

 

Baekhyun yawns and grabs a rolling pin, “Lay off me Minseok, that dickhead deserved it.”

 

“But it was completely unprofessional!”

 

“But it was funny, and you can’t deny that.” Baekhyun rolls his eyes.

 

Minseok huffs, “Okay, it was KIND OF funny, but still—”

 

“Excuse me? What’s with the poor service at the cashier?” Baekhyun’s eyes widen at the voice, which sounds _very_ familiar. Minseok shoos Baekhyun away, “You heard the man, go out and serve him!”

Baekhyun reluctantly peeps his head outside the kitchen, seeing the familiar mop of red hair. He sighs dreamily, his eyes getting lost in the man’s chestnut eyes.

 

“Baekhyun! Hurry up and serve him!” Minseok pushes Baekhyun out of the kitchen, alerting the latter at the cashier. Baekhyun meekly walks over to the cash register, coughing awkwardly.

 

“Hi and welcome to—”

 

“Two chocolate scones please, make it fast.” He cuts Baekhyun off. Baekhyun is taken aback, yet he complies and scurries to get his order ready.

 

_In two minutes, a brown paper bag is handed to Chanyeol._

“Thank you, come again!” Baekhyun smiles brightly, waving off the handsome man.

 

“Rejected? Again? I have to laugh.” Kyungsoo appears behind Baekhyun, laughing at him. Baekhyun shoots him an annoyed look, “Oh shut up, go ride your boyfriend’s dick or something.”

 

Kyungsoo blushes, “How many times do I have to tell you? He’s _not_ my boyfriend!” He huffs, crossing his arms.

 

“When pigs fly Kyungsoo, when pigs fly.” Baekhyun deadpans, adjusting the display shelf.

 

“Anyways…” Kyungsoo grits his teeth, “Do you have any theories on why Mr. Redhead went in such a hurry?”

 

Baekhyun sighs, “I don’t know, I really wanna get to know him but you know how bad I am with romance…”

 

Kyungsoo laughs, “Yeah, remember last time when you—”

 

“Okay, I don’t need to remember. You can shut up now.” Baekhyun cuts Kyungsoo off, “And besides, he already has a boyfriend. And he’s _hot_. And he actually knows the guy. How am I supposed to compete with that?”

 

“Well for one, you could try talking to him.” Kyungsoo suggests. Baekhyun scoffs, “It’s not that easy, Soo.”

 

Once again, Junmyeon is awoken by a loud pounding on his front door. Sitting up on his bed groggily, he looks up at the clock; it was 1 PM.

“ _Did my mental breakdown last for that long last night?_ ” He asked himself, as he got up to open the door. Junmyeon wasn’t really surprised to see Yixing, but that look on his face made Junmyeon ticked off; _he’s gonna interrogate me again_.

 

“Yixing? What are you doing here?” Junmyeon asks, trying to sound surprised.

 

“I’m sorry for arriving at such short notice, I just wanted to make sure you were okay.” Yixing says. Junmyeon sighs, inviting Yixing in and making him sit on the coach.

 

“I’m fine, Xing really.” Junmyeon says, sitting down next to Yixing.

 

“Then why weren’t you answering my calls last night?” Yixing interrogates, raising an eyebrow.

 

“Yixing, I don’t need you babying me anymore. I’m fine by myself, really.”

 

Seeing the desperate look on Junmyeon’s face, Yixing presses his lips in a thin line. _He’ll let it go just this once,_ he thinks to himself.

 

“Okay, but just remember, I’m always a shoulder to lean on and a face to slap!” He smiles, making Junmyeon laugh. _Junmyeon mentally breathes a sigh of relief._

“Anyways,” Yixing claps his hands together, “How about you, me, Jongdae and his boyfriend go to the beach as planned today? Have fun in the sand, do a little bonfire, get drunk. Would that make you better?” He asks.

 

Junmyeon smiles, “It’s like you read my mind.”

 

The heat of the afternoon sun rains down on them. Junmyeon jumps out of the car, basking in the summer heat.

 

“Look! There’s Jongdae and his boyfriend.” Yixing joins Junmyeon’s side, pointing at the couple. Junmyeon narrows his eyes to get a better view, spotting Jongdae who was holding hands with a small man.

 

“Hi guys!” Jongdae greets. His boyfriend waves at the two, but Junmyeon doesn’t see the side eye the latter gives him.

“Guys, this is Minseok. Minseok, these are my best friends, Yixing and Junmyeon.” Jongdae introduces them to each other. Junmyeon goes in for a hug, while Yixing exchanges a handshake.

 

“It’s nice to meet you two!” Minseok says, smiling at the two of them.

 

“You too! Jongdae has told us about you, we were quite curious…”

 

_And just like that, conversation ensues._

But Minseok was too focused on eyeing Junmyeon up and down. The guys got two men on his sleeve, so he was curious as to what he looked like.

 

Minseok doesn’t want to admit it, but Junmyeon is hot.

 

After examining the latter, he could see why Junmyeon was a dick magnet. He’s short. He’s cute. He’s got a nice face and body. Everything a guy like Yixing and that redhead would want.

 

Minseok is wary about him, but he decides to be friendly. He also leaves a mental note to slap him in the face if he gets to close to _his_ Jongdae.

 

Yifan wakes up to a cup of water being splashed onto his face.

 

He jumps, tumbling off the coach. Howling in pain, he looks up at the culprit who was Tao (no surprise there) looking down at him with a scowl.

 

“What the fuck dude?” He croaks, hissing at the pain at his hip, “What the hell was that for?”

 

“It’s 3 PM. You’ve been sleeping for 14 hours. I was doing you a favour.” The latter deadpans, “Get up. We’re going to your dad.”

 

Hearing the word ‘ _dad_ ’ made Yifan groan.

 

“Why? I’m not going to work, and I don’t want to so—”

 

“He said it was gonna be a short meeting.” Tao cuts him off, “So unless you want to get a pay cut, I suggest you get up and fix yourself.”

 

Yifan sighs, eventually standing upright and getting ready. He didn’t want to, but he wasn’t risking a pay cut.

 

The moonlight glistened, creating a beautiful glow on the waves as they rippled onto the shore. 

 

The bonfire illuminated the vast shore, and the laughter of the people around him made Junmyeon feel content.

 

Besides, Junmyeon was a _little bit_ tipsy, so his mind was probably drifting off to crazy land.

 

“I knew it wasn’t a good idea to let Junmyeon drink…” Yixing mutters, shoving a s’more into his mouth. He looks over at the latter, who was rambling on about something next to a drunk Minseok. The red flush on his cheeks indicated that Junmyeon was inches away from stripping and running down the shoreline.

 

“More drinks, anyone?” Jongdae comes into view, holding up two plastic bags filled with alcohol. Junmyeon and Minseok do a celebratory dance, waving their arms up in the sky.

 

“Thanks babe,” Minseok stands upright, wobbling over to his boyfriend, “I’ll make _sure_ to pay you back later.” He winks.

 

“Ew! You guys are gross,” Junmyeon slurs, resting his head on Yixing’s shoulder. “Yixing and I would appreciate it if you don’t have sex on the beach please.”

Minseok scoffs, “You’re no fun.”

 

“Am too! Look, I can do this…”

 

_And just like that, Junmyeon connects his lips with Yixing’s._

_For Yixing, sparks flew. But for Junmyeon, his drunken state only blurred out the image of Yixing, replacing him with someone else._

“Junmyeon?!” Yixing says, breaking the short-lived kiss, “What are you doing?”

 

“What?” Junmyeon deadpans, “I’m just kissing you, duh.”

 

“I think Junmyeon needs to go home Yixing.” Jongdae chimes in, a look of shock on his face.

 

Yixing nods and pulls Junmyeon up, avoiding Junmyeon’s flirtatious hands as he struggles to walk.

 

“We’ll see you guys later, uh- Junmyeon! Stop it!”

 

Yifan kicks at the sand, his eyes locked at the moon. He narrows his eyes, trying to avoid the incoming tears.

 

“ _You’re a man Yifan,_ _men don’t cry_.” Is what his dad would’ve said. He laughs bitterly to himself, quickly wiping his tears away.

 

It’s always the same when it comes to him and his father; they’d only meet up at important meetings. Nothing changed today, when he entered the 5-star restaurant. All his colleagues were there, wearing their forced smiles and clinking their wine glasses together. He was nothing more than a pawn in his father’s affairs, he was always next to him at arm’s length, forcing a smile while talking about some boring business stuff that Yifan couldn’t give two shits about.   

 

Hastily walking back to the carpark, Yifan struggles to keep his composure.

_“Man-up Yifan, you’re not going to cry, you’re not going to cry…_ ” He repeats like a mantra inside his head, shaking his head like a madman in an attempt to will his emotions away.

 

“Junmyeon! Stop it, I’m kind of—” A familiar voice is heard from afar.

 

Yifan grits his teeth when he sees that man who punched him in the face, hugging Junmyeon. He narrows his eyes, trying to get a closer look.

 

“Please! I miss you… I just wanna—Kiss you so badly. I want you t-to steal my heart again like you did before…” Junmyeon’s words are slurred, but Yifan doesn’t notice that.

 

 _All he sees is Junmyeon tip-toeing to lock lips with that bastard_.

 

Yifan doesn’t know why, but the tears he was trying to conceal start streaming down his face. He runs off, leaving behind his car _and_ his broken heart.

 

Yixing’s cheeks were bright red, his eyes widened as he stares down at Junmyeon.

 

“K-kiss me again…” Junmyeon urges, lifting his heels to try and lock lips with Yixing again. Yixing dodges Junmyeon’s advances, holding the very drunk man still.

 

“Junmyeon, stop that!” Yixing snaps.

 

 _Wrong move_.

 

“Why?” Junmyeon looks up at Yixing, “Why should I? My mom always told me to go after things that I want.”

 

_Does he want me?_

“I don’t know why I miss you, but I do…”

 

 _Wait_.

 

“I still love you, _Yifan_.” Junmyeon says, hugging Yixing tight.

 

Yixing’s heart drops, hearing the word ‘Yifan’ already makes him sick, but hearing ‘I love you’ next to it makes him even sicker. Yixing wants to shove Junmyeon away, but he can’t.

 

_He just pulls him away, ignoring his pleas as he props him inside his car, driving him home._

Why would he? Yixing wouldn’t even know himself. Even after Junmyeon’s struggles that were caused by Yifan, Junmyeon still loves him. Even after everything that Yixing did for Junmyeon, all he got was the title of ‘best friend’.

 

Life was unfair. But Yixing was being unfair to himself as well.

 

_Because he’s still so deeply in love with Junmyeon. And he thinks he’s fallen too deep to escape._

 


	5. ★| coincidences

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Almost done with school for the week and I'm halfway through hi guys!! I'm back to bring you a chapter of this story, which I did NOT forget about, so don't worry.
> 
> Tell me what you think ♡

**★** | “I thought it’d heal when the scar forms, but I guess you can’t help it with love”. ‣ **Love Rain** by Yuju (GFRIEND)

-

_Yifan watched from a distance as Junmyeon walked across the hall, face still dim and almost devoid of any emotion._

_He wouldn’t admit it out loud, but Yifan kind of felt bad knowing that he was the one that caused him to be like this._

_Yifan wasn’t the nicest, but he does apologize when he knows he’s done wrong. He just doesn’t know why he can’t bring himself to._

-

The saying ‘ _time flies when you’re having fun_ ’ couldn’t be any truer as Junmyeon got out of the shower, his headache worsening as he remembers that he has to go back to work today.

 

Junmyeon would be concerned about how Yixing didn’t come today to annoy him, but he’s just happy that he has some alone time before going back and facing the hell that is his job.

 

After getting ready, he hastily puts on his shoes, rushing out of the front door.

 

“How was your four days of vacation?” Chanyeol asks, opening the car door for Junmyeon.

 

“I already miss it. Why couldn’t I have a week off like last time?” Junmyeon frowns, pouting like a child.

 

“Because, you need to go to that meeting? Remember, this is an important endorsement Junmyeon, one that will determine if your career skyrockets even more.”

 

“And why is a phone company so important?”

“Junmyeon, they’re Wu Enterprises. They make more than just phones.” Chanyeol says seriously.

 

“I still don’t see why this is so important, can’t I just model for some clothing line again?”

 

“If you want your pay check this month, I’ll tell boss right away.”

 

“No! Ugh, fine I’ll do it.” Junmyeon scoffs, throwing his head back onto the headrest.

 

Yixing shovels another spoonful of rice into his mouth, his headache wearing off as he drinks a nice, warm glass of green tea.

 

Last nights events have not left his mind; no matter how much he tries to think of something else and throw it out of his head, it just sticks like gum.

 

Yixing is furious with Junmyeon; he had thought that the latter was fully over that asshole. He had thought that his hard work had paid off, taking care of Junmyeon and giving him the comfort that the small male needed.

 

He thought that he’d finally have a chance with Junmyeon. To become his boyfriend, to hold his hand and kiss him; to give him the love that he deserved.

 

Yixing didn’t know whether to laugh because he’d been so stupid, or cry because life was being super unfair.

 

He feels even worse knowing that Junmyeon was still in love with him. The one who didn’t do anything but break Junmyeon’s heart.

 

“Geez, Junmyeon… When I said gain weight I didn’t mean eat until your thighs explode!” Luhan teases.

 

Junmyeon gasps, bolting up from his chair and observing his legs in the mirror.

 

“D-did I eat too much? Oh my god I did—Fuck! What are the people gonna think of me? God I should’ve just stuck to my diet plan—”

 

“You’re fine, Junmyeon.” Sehun, his makeup artist, said. He pushes Junmyeon back onto the chair, touching up his contour.

 

“Are you sure?” Junmyeon asks, frantically trying to fix his hair.

 

“Yes, oh my god!” Luhan laughs, grabbing hold of Junmyeon’s hands.

 

“Oh, shut up! You were the one that made me aware of how big my thighs have gotten!”

 

“I was only kidding Myeonie! They look fine, you haven’t changed last time I saw you.” Luhan reassures.

 

“You of all people should know how conscious I get about my body sometimes…” Junmyeon says, slapping Luhan’s hands away.

 

“Yeah, yeah I know, I shouldn’t have said that, I’m sorry.”

 

“And we’re done!” Sehun’s deep voice interjects their conversation. Junmyeon moves closer to the mirror, analysing his face.

 

“Good job as always, Sehun.” He smiles.

 

“You can always count on me to do your makeup.” Sehun says pridefully.

 

Sehun was a weird case; normally you’d see cute, small guys doing makeup as a profession, but Sehun was practically the polar opposite of it. He was tall, strongly-built and had a deep voice. He intimidated Junmyeon when they first met, but the latter soon found out that besides his emotionless face, the guy was pretty fun; he’s also really good at what he does.

 

“Now!” The director says, clapping his hands together to get their attention.

 

“It’s time for the shoot!”

 

“I’ll be going now.” Chanyeol says, “I’ll be back when the shoot is done. Just call me if I’m late.”

 

“Okay, see you!” Junmyeon waves him off, walking over to the set.

 

“I’ll be off guys!” Baekhyun swings the door open, skipping over to the entrance of the bakery.

 

“Okay, try not to get hit by a car on your way out.” Kyungsoo shouts from the kitchen.

 

“Ugh—Really? That’s what you—”

 

Baekhyun’s rant is cut off as he feels a strong force knock him to the ground. He groans, the not-so-soft landing sending jolts of pain down his spine.

 

“Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t see you there.” A familiar deep voice calls out.

 

Looking up, he can see Chanyeol, face showing the slightest hint of worry. He gulps, taking Chanyeol’s hand.

 

The latter pulls him up with ease, but Baekhyun doesn’t have any time to say thank you as the giant strides over to the counter.

 

“Are you just gonna stand there or?” Chanyeol says, tapping his foot on the floor impatiently.

 

“Oh, right uh—Sorry.” Baekhyun meekly apologizes, running back behind the counter.

 

As always, Chanyeol orders something chocolate. The latter picked chocolate croissants, and Baekhyun quickly made his order. Muttering a thank you, Chanyeol left a $5 bill on the counter, quickly exiting the bakery.

 

But this time, Baekhyun didn’t stay put. He ran out of the bakery, not knowing what he was getting himself into. He scans the bustling area, finding the familiar head of red hair quite easily.

 

He doesn’t know what came over him, but he starts following Chanyeol. He wouldn’t think of it as stalking—Oh of course not. He was merely curious, wanting to find out where the tall man went after going to the bakery.

 

It wasn’t until they exited the bustling streets of the city centre and entered the quieter roads that Baekhyun got suspicious. He was a little scared, but he’s a black belt at hapkido, so he at least knows how to defend himself.

 

“Where is he going?” Baekhyun whispers to himself.

 

Baekhyun squeaks when Chanyeol turns an unexpected corner. He doesn’t know if Chanyeol saw him jump behind a wall, but the man didn’t come back to inspect. He peeks his head to observe, not finding the tall man anywhere.

 

He decides to turn the same corner, his curiosity getting the better of him. It was there that he saw a huge stone monument from afar. It was similar to something he’s seen before—

 

It’s the cemetery. _Chanyeol went to the cemetery? But why?_

 

“What the…”

 

And that’s where it hit him like a ton of bricks. Chanyeol was offering their food to the souls of the dead! Was it a good thing? Baekhyun didn’t know, but the thought of Chanyeol being a ghost expert creeped him out. Baekhyun didn’t like ghosts, or anything paranormal.

 

Turning his heel, he’s decided to stop stalk— _Inspecting_ Chanyeol for today.

 

“Perfect, Junmyeon, perfect!” The director pats Junmyeon on the back.

 

“This is exactly why you’re one of Korea’s top models!” The compliment makes Junmyeon blush.

 

“Thanks sir… B-but I don’t think I’m _that_ good—”

 

“I’ll be having none of it!” The director cuts him off, “You need to flaunt your talents! You didn’t become this good in a day, so I think it’s okay for you to show it off.”

 

“W-well…”

 

“Lunch break!” Luhan announces, walking into the set with bags filled with junk food.

 

“Yah, don’t let him eat too much Luhan, he still has to model.”

 

“I won’t, I promise!” Luhan says, dragging Junmyeon to the table.

 

“What’s got you so excited?” Junmyeon asks, amused at his manager’s face.

 

“Oh nothing, it’s just that THE Wu Yifan is coming over to watch the shoot—”

 

Junmyeon almost chokes on his water. Luhan jumps in his chair.

 

“Oh my god, Junmyeon! Are you okay?” He asks, rubbing circles onto Junmyeon’s back.

 

Junmyeon coughs, “D-did you say?”

 

“What? Wu Yifan?” Luhan says, confused.

 

 _Wu Yifan._ Wu Enterprises. God, he should’ve remembered.

 

“I-I have to go to the bathroom.” He excuses himself, scrambling out of his seat to run to the restroom.

 

“Wait! Don’t you want some food?” Luhan calls after him.

 

“Geez, what’s wrong with him?” Luhan says, flabbergasted.

 

“Don’t know.” Sehun shrugs, “I guess he doesn’t want anything. More food for us, then.”

 

Junmyeon’s having a _tiny_ panic attack. He paces around the tiny room, biting his nails. He’s sure that he’s ruined his manicure, but that’s the least of his worries right now.

 

Yifan was coming. He thought that them meeting up again would be a one-time thing, an unlucky coincidence. Oh boy was he wrong.

 

Yifan yawned as he sat back onto the seat, sipping his coffee.

 

“Well that’s what you get for sleeping late.” Tao snickers next to him. Yifan hits his friend on the arm, muttering profanities at him.

 

“Why are you here again?”

 

“Because I can. And, the model might be hot.” Tao wiggles his eyebrows playfully.

 

“I swear you only use me to get out of work.”

 

“Hmm, maybe.”

 

“Remember that I can still have my dad fire your ass.” Yifan warns.

 

“I was just kidding! I’m here as your personal assistant of course, to keep you company and buy you donuts.”

 

Yifan rolls his eyes at him, sipping the last of his coffee.

 

“Why do you have to go to this shoot anyway? Is it important, or?”

 

“Beats me.” Yifan shrugs, “My dad said the model was well-known. Going over and shooting a small promotional video is a good marketing strategy.”

 

“Model, huh? Do you know their name?”

 

“No. It’s a mystery until we get there, I guess.”

 

Yifan was about to nod off to sleep until he sees a familiar face on a magazine Tao was reading. Instantly waking up, he snatches the magazine off of Tao’s hands.

 

“Hey, what the fuck man!”

 

Yifan ignores his friend’s complaining, all of his attention focused at the person on the magazine.

 

_Since when did Junmyeon become a model?_

 

“Tao… How’d you get this?”

 

“Why do you want to know?” Tao snatches the magazine back.

 

“I got it at some store. There, are you happy?” Tao explains.  

 

“Do you… Do you remember where you got it?”

 

“It was just a local grocery store, Yifan, jeez. What’s got you obsessed with this magazine? Is it—oh.” Tao looks at the front page and instantly remembers why he got it in the first place.

 

“Oh yeah, about that… I kinda forgot to tell you.” Tao sheepishly laughs.

 

“What? That Junmyeon was a model?”

“That and he might also be the person we’re about to meet up with.”

“WHAT THE FUCK?” Yifan’s screams.

 

“I said _might_ okay? He just posted something on his Instagram about the company’s new phone, that’s all. For all I know he might have just liked it and bought one.”

 

“You should’ve told me before, I would’ve been able to cancel!”

 

“Why would you?”

 

“Because he hates me! Do you remember how he was screaming at me to get off him, how he was trying to shove me away?”

 

“Yeah, I mean what you did to him was a pretty dick move… But that was like, five years ago.”

 

“But you don’t understand, I stole his first kiss and left him hanging!”

“Yeah, and? He’s probably slept with a dozen of guys with that hot ass—” Tao stops and coughs awkwardly when Yifan glares at him.

 

“There’s more than meets the eye, Tao.”

 

“Whatever floats your boat.” Tao rolls his eyes, flicking through the magazine pages.

 

“Junmyeon! Get out of the bathroom right this instant, he’s coming soon!” Luhan bangs his fist on the door.

 

Junmyeon flinches but stays put. Luhan sighs, running his hand up his hair in frustration.

 

“You asked for it. Sehun, get the keys.” Luhan warns, signalling Sehun to go get his bag.

 

“No! You can’t force me!” Junmyeon shouts.

 

“Yes, I can!” Luhan shouts back, unlocking the door. Luhan jumps into the room, almost knocking into Junmyeon.

 

“Why won’t you come out?” Luhan asks, shaking Junmyeon by the shoulders.

 

“I c-can’t tell! I don’t want to!” Junmyeon shoves Luhan off him.

 

“This is your job, Junmyeon. Whatever it is, I’m sure it can wait.”

 

“But—”

 

“Junmyeon, come on! They’re outside the building!” Sehun runs into the bathroom, ushering the two

out.

 

Junmyeon sags his shoulders but follows them. He’s known the both of them long enough to know that there’s no getting away at this point.

 

 _Well shit_. Standing in front of him was the same man he prayed to God not to meet again.

 

“Junmyeon, this is Wu Yifan, son of the CEO of Wu Enterprises!” The director ‘introduces’ them to each other.

 

Yifan puts on a shaky smile, offering his hand. Junmyeon stiffly smiles back, accepting the handshake.

 

“N-nice to meet you.” The giant stutters. Tao quietly snickers beside him.

 

“Likewise.” Junmyeon maintains his smile. The director can sense the tension between them; it’s so thick you can practically cut it with a knife.

 

“Anyways!” The director interrupts, “We’re gonna be doing a quick promotional shoot with the two of you! Don’t worry Mr. Wu, it won’t take long.”

 

Yifan nods, still staring at the small man in front of him. The latter was wringing his hands; _he’s nervous_.

 

“Alright well… Follow me to the set, and we’ll get it started right away!”

 

The two were standing next to each other, bright studio lights surrounding them.

“If you could…” The director furrows his eyebrows in concentration, trying to find the perfect angle, “Can you two come closer, please?”

 

Yifan shuffles closer to Junmyeon. Junmyeon stiffens, not liking the close proximity.

 

“And perfect! Okay, you two remember your lines, right?”

 

The two nod, and the director claps his hands in satisfaction.

 

“Okay—We’re gonna start in three, two…” He gives them the thumbs up.

 

“Hello! I am Kim Junmyeon, the new endorser for the new WooPhone X, made by Wu Enterprises!” Junmyeon smiles at the camera, “And here with me today is Wu Yifan, the son of the CEO. Yifan, can you please explain to us the phone’s new features please?”

 

Junmyeon elbows Yifan on his side when he doesn’t talk on cue. Yifan snaps back into reality, looking at the camera.

 

“Uh—Yes, the new WooPhone X will be the newest design of our WooPhone series. It’s built in with new processors, ensuring a faster experience. The new camera is equipped with 12 megapixels with new telephoto lens and colour filters. It’s gonna come with a wide variety of colours, ranging from Rose Gold, Gold, Silver, Jet Black, et cetera. It’s uh—also waterproof.”

 

“It’s the perfect phone for everyone of all ages! So, look out on the 3rd of August when it will be released to the public. Stay tuned!” Junmyeon waves at the camera, Yifan awkwardly copying him.

 

“Hmm… It’ll do, I guess.” The director approves, albeit being a little disappointed.

 

“So, it’s good?” Junmyeon asks.

 

“Yeah. You’re free to go, you two. Good job on today!” The director waves them off.

 

Junmyeon couldn’t be any happier. Rushing over to get his things, he walks as fast as he can to the exit.

 

“Junmyeon, wait!” Yifan calls out to him. Junmyeon doesn’t even look back.

 

Yifan uses his long legs as an advantage, and it doesn’t take long before he catches up with Junmyeon.

 

“Junmyeon, please—” Yifan grabs a hold of Junmyeon’s arm. Junmyeon flinches but looks up at the man, sending him an intimidating glare.

 

“Please let go off me.” Junmyeon grits his teeth.

 

“Please, I just wanna talk.”

 

“What is there to talk about?”

 

“I-I don’t know… I just wanted to... Catch up with you.” Yifan stutters on his words, turning bright red.

 

“Catch up with me? I thought I was just a victim in your little prank.” Junmyeon says harshly, the tone in his voice taking Yifan aback.

“Look, I’m sorry. I didn’t—”

 

“I don’t want to hear it.” Junmyeon cuts him off, successfully prying Yifan’s hand off his arm.

 

“Junmyeon, please. Just, please talk to me.”

 

“What is there to say? We haven’t talked since high school, and I’m pretty you know out of all people how much I _hate_ you.”

 

Yifan drops both of his arms to his side, pressing his lips in a thin line.

 

“Okay… I won’t talk to you ever again, I guess.”

 

“Please. That’s all I want.”

 

“I hope… I hope you and your boyfriend are happy, and I hope that he’s treating you well.” Yifan says quietly, turning his heel and walking away, leaving Junmyeon confused.

 

“Wait… What boyfriend?” Junmyeon whispers to himself.

 

Yixing hears loud banging on his front door. Getting up groggily, he walks slowly towards the door.

 

He opens it, finding someone he did not expect to see.

 

“J-Junmyeon?” His eyes widen at the sight of the small, ~~beautiful~~ man.

 

“Hi, Yixing. I need to talk to you.” The tone in his voice throws Yixing off guard.

 

“Don’t worry. I’ve brought snacks.”

 

“Yifan, are you seriously drinking yourself to death again?” Tao rolls his eyes at the man sitting on _his_ coach, chugging his fourth bottle of beer.

 

“I need to, it’s my way to cope with shit.”

 

“Well it isn’t good for you.”  

 

“Since when were you my o-orthodontest.” Yifan slurs.

 

“Orthodontist, you idiot. And I’m not a doctor, I’m just trying to help you not die of liver failure.” Tao says, picking up a magazine.

 

“Does that one have Junmyeon in it?” Yifan points at the magazine in Tao’s hands.

 

“Don’t know.” Tao shrugs, “Why are you suddenly obsessed with Junmyeon? You’ve never talked to him aside from the prank.”

 

“You don’t understand Tao… I’ve been feeling guilty ever since it happened.” Yifan says sleepily.

 

“18-year-old Yifan? Feeling guilty? Since when?”

 

“Since I was eighteen, you asshole.” Yifan throws his head onto a pillow.

 

“Sleep now, Yifan. We’ve got work tomorrow.” Tao throws a blanket over Yifan, earning a groan from the latter.


End file.
